Recorded in 1956 but issued in 1960,
Sonny Boy combines three tracks previously heard on
Rollins' 1957 release
Tour de Force, omitting two ballads sung by
Earl Coleman) with the title track, popularized by
Al Jolson in the '20s, and an instrumental version of "The House I Live In" from the
Frank Sinatra film of the same title.
The blues "Ee-Ah" features a laid-back introduction by pianist
Kenny Drew and a remarkable extended solo by
Rollins. The aptly titled "B. Quick" and "B. Swift" are lightning-fast improvs spotlighting exceptional solos by all members, especially drummer
Max Roach. Of the previously unissued tracks, "Sonny Boy" has a bounciness unusual in '50s jazz, and "The House I Live In" (featuring trumpeter
Kenny Dorham and pianist
Wade Legge) manages to be simultaneously stately and swinging. They're hardly mere leftovers, and should have been issued long before they were.